Being the oldest child comes with advantages and disadvantages. As the first born you're like the guinea pig of the family, the test subject, if you will. Your parents had no experience in raising a child of their own child until you came along. You might have been dropped a few times or even left at the park (maybe that was just my parents), but you turned out alright.
You're pretty persuasive considering that you were the one who convinced your parents to do stuff first. Your younger siblings definitely don't know half of what you know when it comes to getting things from your parents. The same goes for the things that make your parents mad. You know exactly what ticks them off since you've had years of experience testing it out.
Being the first born meant that you were very mature for your age, too. The beginning years of your life were spent with adults. Whether it was your parents or their friends, you always wanted to be included. "Grown-up" time didn't mean anything to you because, as far as you were concerned, you were the most mature four-year-old that you knew. Pass the wine, mom.
You also got the strictest punishments out of your siblings. As the test subject, your parents had never done the whole "discipline" thing before. If you didn't ask before you went to play with your friends then you got a timeout. Your now 14-year-old younger brother, however, could set the house on fire and he'd just get a stern talking-to. It's so unfair. The things that you were never allowed to do as a kid are now perfectly fine for your younger siblings to do. Say that you wanted to go to a party, but you had to be home by midnight. Your now 17-year-old younger sister, however, can come home whenever she wants as long as she texts mom and dad first. The words, "When I was your age I never got to do that," have rolled off of your tongue more than once.
At least you're still the favorite, right? You're not anymore. Apparently parents can't pick favorites after they have more than one child. (I know that I'm still the favorite anyway.) Your grandma probably made at least four photo albums of you growing up because you were their very first grandchild and their pride and joy. Your middle sibling has maybe two or three photo albums made for her and your youngest sibling barely has one full photo album.
Being the oldest child has made you a protective, independent, and mature sibling. Sometimes it feels like you're a third parent, but you were born for it (pun intended).
